[Federal Register: September 22, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 183)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 56688-56690]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22se04-9]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 2004-SW-15-AD; Amendment 39-13803; AD 2004-19-09]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Model R22-
Series Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing emergency airworthiness
directive (AD) for the Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson) Model
R22, R22 Alpha, R22 Beta, and R22 Mariner helicopters, that currently
requires track-and-balancing certain main rotor blades (blades),
replacing blades, and determining the age of each blade and revising
the component history card or equivalent maintenance record. This
amendment requires the same actions, but changes the applicability and
adds clarifying language. It also prohibits the issuance of special
flight permits, which the existing AD allows. This amendment is
prompted by the need to clarify the existing AD language. The actions
specified by this AD are intended to prevent a fatigue crack, blade
failure, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
DATES: Effective October 7, 2004.
Comments for inclusion in the Rules Docket must be received on or
before November 22, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 2004-SW-15-AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room
663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. You may also send comments electronically
to the Rules Docket at the following address: 9-asw-adcomments@faa.gov.
[[Page 56689]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fred Guerin, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, Airframe Branch, 3960
Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 90712, telephone (562) 627-5232,
fax (562) 627-5210.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 18, 2004, the FAA issued emergency
AD 2004-06-52, Docket 2004-SW-01-AD, to require:
Within 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 30 days,
whichever occurs first, track-and-balancing blades that are 5 years old
or have 1,000 hours TIS;
Replacing the blades with airworthy blades before further
flight if an abnormal increase in vibration occurs within 5 hours TIS
after the last track-and-balance;
Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
for helicopters with blades, part number (P/N) A016-1, replacing the
blades with airworthy blades other than blades, P/N A016-1, on or
before reaching 2,000 hours TIS;
Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
for helicopters with blades, P/N A016-2, replacing the blades with
airworthy blades other than blades, P/N A016-1, on or before reaching
2,200 hours TIS or 10 years, whichever occurs first; and
Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
determining the age of each blade and revising the component history
card or equivalent maintenance record for blades, P/N A016-2, by adding
a 10-year retirement life to the current 2,200 hours TIS retirement
life.
That action was prompted by two accidents that occurred in
Australia and Israel that were attributed to failure of a blade.
Investigation revealed that corrosion from water penetration initiated
a fatigue crack in a blade. Information from the accident
investigations revealed that the cracked blades manifested an increase
in helicopter vibration. Following a track-and-balance of the blades,
the vibrations would go back to normal for a short time and then slowly
increase again until blade failure occurred. That condition, if not
corrected, could result in a fatigue crack, blade failure, and
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Since issuing that AD, several commenters have called regarding the
following issues:
The AD does not include the start date for determining the
age of the blades on Model R22 helicopters that have been overhauled by
the manufacturer since these helicopters are returned to the owner with
new blades, but only have a ``return-to-service tag''. The FAA agrees,
and has included specific instructions for overhauled helicopters in
this AD.
Paragraph (d) of the emergency AD is unclear and has been
interpreted by some to mean that all Model R22 helicopters with blades,
P/N A016-2, installed, are grounded within 10 hours TIS or 30 days.
While the FAA does not understand this interpretation, we have reworded
the paragraph in this AD in an attempt to make it clearer. These blades
must be replaced with airworthy blades on or before reaching their
retirement life.
Are the R22 Model Beta II and HP helicopters affected by
the AD since they are not specifically listed in the Applicability
section of the AD? The R22 Model Beta II and HP helicopters are
commercial names for the R22 Beta and R22 and are not shown on the
helicopter's type certificate. The required identification plate for
each helicopter must contain the Model designation. These data plate
model numbers are the ones listed in the type certificate and, as
appropriate, in our ADs. However, the applicability statement has been
restated in terms of the Model R22-series helicopters with blades, P/N
A0126-1 or A016-2, installed. Our intent was and is to include in the
applicability ALL Model R-22 helicopters with the affected blades
installed, regardless of their commercial designation.
``Yellow tags'' are issued for any return to service of a
part, whether new or not; does any ``yellow tag'' constitute the start
of the calendar life of the blade? The AD has been reworded to clarify
that only ``yellow tags'' delivered with the blade when new may be used
to start the calendar life of the blade.
These changes justify issuing this superseding AD instead of
publishing Emergency AD 2004-06-52 as a Final Rule in the Federal
Register.
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop on other Robinson Model R22 helicopters of the same
type design, this AD supersedes AD 2004-06-52 to require:
Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
tracking-and-balancing blades, P/N A016-2, that are 5 or more years
old, or have 1,000 or more hours TIS;
Replacing the blades with airworthy blades, P/N A016-2,
before further flight if an abnormal increase in vibration occurs
within 5 hours TIS after the last track-and-balance;
Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
for helicopters with blades, P/N A016-1, replacing the blades with
airworthy blades, P/N A016-2 or A016-4;
Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
for helicopters with blades, P/N A016-2, replacing the blades with
airworthy blades on or before reaching 2,200 hours TIS or 10 years,
whichever occurs first; and
Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
determining the age of each blade and revising the component history
card or equivalent maintenance record for blades, P/N A016-2, by adding
a 10-year retirement life to the current 2,200 hours TIS retirement
life.
The short compliance time involved is required because the
previously described critical unsafe condition can adversely affect the
controllability and structural integrity of the helicopter. Therefore,
the previously stated actions are required within a short timeframe and
this AD must be issued immediately.
Since a situation exists that requires the immediate adoption of
this regulation, it is found that notice and opportunity for prior
public comment hereon are impracticable, and that good cause exists for
making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.
The FAA estimates that this AD will affect 923 helicopters of U.S.
registry. Track-and-balancing the blades, revising the component
history card and maintenance manual, determining the age of each blade,
and replacing blades, if necessary, will take approximately 11 work
hours per helicopter to accomplish at an average labor rate of $65 per
work hour. Required parts will cost approximately $25,000 (for 2
blades) per helicopter. Based on these figures, we estimate the total
cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators to be $7,584,945, assuming that
most blades currently in service reach the TIS retirement life before
reaching the calendar retirement life, and that at most, 277
helicopters will need their blades replaced.
Comments Invited
Although this action is in the form of a final rule that involves
requirements affecting flight safety and, thus, was not preceded by
notice and an opportunity for public comment, comments are invited on
this rule. Interested persons are invited to comment on this rule by
submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may desire.
Communications should identify the Rules Docket number and be submitted
in triplicate to the address specified under the caption ADDRESSES. All
communications received on or before the closing date for comments will
be considered, and this rule may be
[[Page 56690]]
amended in light of the comments received. Factual information that
supports the commenter's ideas and suggestions is extremely helpful in
evaluating the effectiveness of the AD action and determining whether
additional rulemaking action would be needed.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the rule that might
suggest a need to modify the rule. All comments submitted will be
available in the Rules Docket for examination by interested persons. A
report that summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned with the
substance of this AD will be filed in the Rules Docket.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
submitted in response to this rule must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket No. 2004-SW-15-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and
returned to the commenter.
The regulations adopted herein will not have a substantial direct
effect on the States, on the relationship between the national
Government and the States, or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various levels of government. Therefore, it
is determined that this final rule does not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132.
The FAA has determined that this regulation is an emergency
regulation that must be issued immediately to correct an unsafe
condition in aircraft, and that it is not a ``significant regulatory
action'' under Executive Order 12866. It has been determined further
that this action involves an emergency regulation under DOT Regulatory
Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979). If it is
determined that this emergency regulation otherwise would be
significant under DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures, a final
regulatory evaluation will be prepared and placed in the Rules Docket.
A copy of it, if filed, may be obtained from the Rules Docket at the
location provided under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
Adoption of the Amendment
0
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
0
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
(AD), Amendment 39-13803, to read as follows:
2004-19-09 Robinson Helicopter Company: Amendment 39-13803. Docket
No. 2004-SW-15-AD. Supersedes Emergency AD 2004-06-52, Docket No.
2004-SW-01-AD.
Applicability: Model R22-series helicopters, with a main rotor
blade (blade), part number (P/N) A016-1 or A016-2, installed,
certificated in any category.
Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished
previously.
To prevent a fatigue crack, blade failure, and subsequent loss
of control of the helicopter, accomplish the following:
(a) Within 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 30 days, whichever
occurs first, for helicopters with blades, P/N A016-2, that are 5 or
more years old, or have 1,000 or more hours TIS, track-and-balance
the blades. If an abnormal increase in vibration occurs within 5
hours TIS after the last track and balance, before further flight,
replace the blades with airworthy blades, P/N A016-2, that are less
than 10 years old and have less than 2,200 hours TIS, or airworthy
blades, P/N A016-4, that are less than 12 years old and have less
than 2,200 hours TIS.
(b) Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first, for
helicopters with blades, P/N A016-1, replace the blades with
airworthy blades, P/N A016-2 or A016-4.
(c) Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
determine the age of each blade:
(1) For a zero-hour TIS (new) blade delivered with an
Airworthiness Approval tag, the time begins on the date stated on
that tag. For a blade older than 9 years that pre-dates the use of
the Airworthiness Approval tag and was delivered as a new blade with
a ``yellow tag,'' the time begins on the date stated on that tag.
Any subsequent yellow tag issued for a blade after the blade was
placed into service is not valid for determining the original
manufacture date.
(2) For a new blade that has neither an Airworthiness Approval
tag nor a yellow tag because it was delivered on a factory-new
helicopter, the time begins on the date stated on the original
Airworthiness Certificate as documented in the aircraft maintenance
records.
(3) For a new blade installed on an overhauled helicopter, the
time begins on the date the helicopter was returned to service after
overhaul as documented in the aircraft logbook or work report.
(4) For all other blades, the time begins on the date of
manufacture. This date can be obtained from the manufacturer by
providing them the serial number and part number.
(d) Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first, for
helicopters with blades, P/N A016-2, replace the blades with
airworthy blades on or before reaching 2,200 hours TIS or 10 years,
whichever occurs first.
(e) Within 10 hours TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first,
revise the component history card or equivalent maintenance record
for blades, P/N A016-2, by adding a 10-year retirement life to the
current 2,200 hours TIS retirement life.
(f) Revise the Airworthiness Limitations section of the
applicable maintenance manual by adding a new retirement life of 10
years to the current 2,200 hours TIS retirement life for blades, P/N
A016-2.
Note: Robinson Model R22 Maintenance Manual, dated January 16,
2004, contains the revised Airworthiness Limitations section.
(g) To request a different method of compliance or a different
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19.
Contact the Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, Transport
Airplane Directorate, FAA, for information about previously approved
alternative methods of compliance.
(h) Special flight permits will not be issued.
(i) This amendment becomes effective on October 7, 2004.
Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 16, 2004.
David A. Downey,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 04-21269 Filed 9-21-04; 8:45 am]
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